Dine and Dish

Written for Paper Palate on the Well Fed Network

I ran into a slight dilemma when I sat down to write my article about the June 2007 issue of Gourmet magazine. I opened up the magazine to find page after page after page torn out. No, my kids did not get a hold of the issue. My husband, who loves to grill, took the liberty of browsing through the magazine and tearing out recipes he wanted to try. He must have removed half the magazine because the copy in my hands was very sparse.

Once I was able to acquire a complete issue from the library, I could see why my husband was so eager to rip and tear this issue to pieces. The June 2007 issue of Gourmet magazine is full of very appealing recipes. Mouth watering photos and simple summertime ingredients will tempt all of us into giving some of their current recipes a try. From Crisp Chipotle Shrimp with Corn and Scallions to Cheesecake Marbled Brownies, this issue has something for everyone. The recipe that tempted us the most was for Pasta with Green Vegetables and Herbs. My herb garden is growing well, and this beautiful and delicious dish was a perfect accompaniment to the warm summer weather we have been having. You can find the recipe at the end of this article.

As far as articles go, this issue had at least one well written piece that brought me to tears. Daniel Zwerdling wrote A View To A Kill... an eye opening article about chicken megafarms and giant processing plants and the inhumane treatment of broiler chickens (as they are called in the industry). This article documents the unethical conditions the chickens are in from the day of their hatching to their final living moments. According to Daniel and many experts in the industry, finding a gentler more humane way to harvest chickens could be very simple and methods have already been created to make it easy for mass chicken merchandisers and fast food restaurants to turn over to these procedures. Getting them to agree to this and to comply to this new method seems to be the biggest issue.

On a lighter note, turn to page 136 of the June issue of Gourmet and you will find an article titled Earthly Delights. This article features a gorgeous garden and encourages us to eat the food you find at the source. A garden inspired meal always tastes better with a makeshift table and chairs right among the veggies and herbs.

As my husband will attest, the June issue of Gourmet magazine is well worth the purchase simply for the abundance of great recipes. If you are looking for some eye opening content as well, make sure to pick up a copy of this issue.

PASTA WITH GREEN VEGETABLES AND HERBS
Mixing aromatic herbs like mint and basil with asparagus and peas creates a beautiful green dish. Salty feta sparks it up.
1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
1 pound linguine
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 1/2 ounces feta, crumbled (1 cup)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Cook asparagus in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling well-salted water until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large heatproof bowl, then add peas to boiling water and cook 2 minutes. Transfer peas with slotted spoon to bowl with asparagus, then add linguine to boiling water and cook until al dente.
While linguine cooks, pulse basil, mint, oil, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup feta in a food processor until chopped, then add to vegetables.

Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander. Stir reserved cooking water into vegetables, then add pasta, parsley, scallions, and remaining 1/2 cup feta and toss.

Makes 4 servings.

Gourmet
Quick Kitchen
June 2007